In an examination of the following sonnets, 'Shall I Compare Thee' and 'Let Me Not' by William Shakespeare and 'On His Blindness' by John Milton, establish the main style into which each falls and its themes.

In an examination of the following sonnets, 'Shall I Compare Thee' and 'Let Me Not' by William Shakespeare and 'On His Blindness' by John Milton, establish the main style into which each falls and its themes. Sonnets are fourteen-line poems. They originated in 15th century Italy and first became popular in England in the 16th century. Many English poets, including Milton, Keats, Wordsworth, Hopkins and Wilfred Owen, have used the form since the early Elizabethan period. Sonnets are so popular purely because the briefness of them means that their message has to be put across in a compact way. This makes the impact of the message so much more powerful. A sonnet can take one of two forms. One is Petrarchan, named after Petrarch, one of the Italian originators of the form in the late medieval period. Its fourteen-line structure, called an iambic pentameter, is split into two unequal sections. The first section, the octave, consists of eight lines and the second section, the sestet, consists of six. Sometimes, when printed, there is a break between the octet and the sestet. This is called the volta. Petrarchan sonnets often follow the rhyme scheme of ABBA, ABBA: CDE, CDE although, from time to time, the sestet follows a rhyme scheme of CD, CD, CD. The other form is Shakespearian. It is named after William Shakespeare who extensively used the sonnet form and wrote a

  • Word count: 1772
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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How do sonnets deal with the theme of love?

How do sonnets deal with the theme of love? Sonnet 130 by William Shakespeare Shakespeare, as well as writing many famous plays is also noted for his sonnets. A sonnet is traditionally a fourteen-line poem, Shakespeare mostly wrote his sonnets about love. It was traditional during the Elizabethan age, for gentlemen to write love sonnets about their lover and give it to her. It was the way men used to woe women they liked. Shakespeare wrote one hundred and fifty four sonnets and due to the number and their consistent quality, his particular style became known as 'the Shakespearean sonnet form'. A Shakespearean sonnet has fourteen lines, broken down into three quatrains and ending with a rhyming couplet. In each quatrain a different subject is discussed and described, the subject is then changed at the start of each new quatrain. A Shakespearean sonnet has the rhyming pattern ABABCDCDEFEFGG. For example in sonnets "130", the first quatrain shows this rhyming pattern, it is at the beginning so is the ABAB part. "My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun; Coral is far more red than her lips' red; If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head." The rhyming couplet, i.e. GG, often finishes a Shakespearean sonnet, for example the last two lines of sonnet 130. This type of ending often ends the poem with a satisfactory

  • Word count: 621
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Shakespeare's sonnet 60

Duncan Hepburn. POEM 60 NOTES In this poem I think that the poet in evaluating life, possibly his life defining it in minutes passing. Realizing how short his time on earth will be and wondering if he will be forgotten like all the minutes. Lines 1 & 2 Like as the waves make towards the pebbled shore, So do our minutes hasten to their end; These first two lines are about the passing of time. How quickly time passes, not slowly leaving something of itself behind. There is nothing of substance left, time is never to be relived, time is past, time has gone, that moment of time is over, that minute of time has ended. Time is an unseen thing of no substance. To help us understand time the poet has likened it to waves breaking on the shore, we can see the waves; see the beauty of the waves. One wave, other waves following on and on but never that 'one wave' again. I think there is much sadness in these opening lines, they reflect time seen in the waves and time unseen in the minutes, they are comparisons of time passing. Lines 3 & 4 Each changing place with that which goes before, In sequent toil all forwards do contend. I think these lines show us the sequence with which time passes and waves break against the shore, always following on one after the other in a perpetual sequence, unbroken, never stopping always going forward, moving on. Lines 5 6 & 7 Nativity, once

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Discuss the importance of structure and organisation of ideas in two short texts you have studied. Sonnets 18 and 29 - William Shakespeare

Discuss the importance of structure and organisation of ideas in two short texts you have studied. Sonnets 18 and 29 - William Shakespeare Structure is an essential part of Shakespeare's sonnets and it is important to recognise the structure of a Shakespearean sonnet to be able to follow the ideas he expresses. The sonnet tradition was generally formal and used to express 'courtly love' or expressions of affection. Shakespeare however, while still using the traditional sonnet form, extended it to include ideas of philosophy and social observation that still hold appeal for us today. A Shakespeare sonnet is generally divided into 3 quatrains and a couplet. However, Shakespeare often breaks the rules of the sonnet if he feels that he has a poetic expression that transcends these rules. A sonnet normally has 14 lines of iambic pentameters and the rhyme scheme is alternate from lines one to twelve and end in a rhyming couplet. What is most interesting about this structure is the way in which the three quatrains and couplet become part of the way Shakespeare expresses his ideas. The opening quatrain may express an idea or dilemma. In sonnet 18 a simile and a question introduces the subject and the comparison of a summer's day. The dilemma appears fairly lightweight and mildly contemplative "Shall I compare thee..." In sonnet 29 however the opening statement is more depressive:

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Compare William Shakespeare’s sonnets 12 and 73, look closely at the language use to convey the writer’s realisation of death

Compare William Shakespeare's sonnets 12 and 73, look closely at the language use to convey the writer's realisation of death Sonnet 12 When I do count the clock that tells the time, And see the brave day sunk in hideous night; When I behold the violet past prime, And sable curls all silver'd o'er with white; When lofty trees I see barren of leaves Which erst from heat did canopy the herd, And summer's green all girded up in sheaves Borne on the bier with white and bristly beard, Then of thy beauty do I question make, That thou among the wastes of time must go, Since sweets and beauties do themselves forsake And die as fast as they see others grow; And nothing 'gainst Time's scythe can make defence Save breed, to brave him when he takes thee hence. Sonnet 73 That time of year thou mayst in me behold When yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang Upon those boughs which shake against the cold, Bare ruin'd choirs, where late the sweet birds sang. In me thou seest the twilight of such day As after sunset fadeth in the west, Which by and by black night doth take away, Death's second self, that seals up all in rest. In me thou see'st the glowing of such fire That on the ashes of his youth doth lie, As the death-bed whereon it must expire Consumed with that which it was nourish'd by. This thou perceivest, which makes thy love more strong, To love that

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Examine the theme of love and sonnet form in any two Shakespearean and at least one petrachan sonnet

Examine the theme of love and sonnet form in any two Shakespearean and at least one petrachan sonnet There are two forms of sonnet, the Shakespearean and the Petrarchan. Sonnets are poems of fourteen lines with a continuous form most of which were originally written with the intention of being performed musically. They were usually known by either their first line or number as a name was rarely specified. This is particularly so for the Shakespearean ones. For the purpose of this essay I will be examining three sonnets. Two Shakespearean or English sonnets and one Petrarchan or Italian sonnet. I will be looking at 'Shall I compare thee' and 'Let me not' both written by Shakespeare and sonnet xIii by Edna St Vincent Millay. The first and most evident relationship between the sonnets is form; both Shakespearean sonnets have the standard sonnet rhyming scheme of; ababcdcdefefgg. Sonnet xIii differentiates on form however as it follows the Petrarchan sonnet form of; abbaabbacdedce. Both Shakespearean sonnets also have the standard three quatrains with a rhyming couplet at the end. Sonnet XI ii again differentiates here as it again follows the Petrarchan form by using an octet followed by a sestet. All three of the sonnets however do have a use of iambic pentameter. Lets take the last line of each for example: 'So long as men can breath or eyes can see' 'If this can be error

  • Word count: 1076
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Romeo and Juliet 1

Romeo and Juliet A love that never dies A love that dies The story of a couple A tragedy that ruins the world Romeo and Juliet 2 that are not meant to be A love never agreed to 2 suicides is the love that dies girl who goes against her parents will boy who goes against her parents will love can do anything If the love is not there why live? boy confused about life His eyes are open to love girl doesn't know what to do Her mind is made up to love man unites a couples love A couple who loves a disagreed love word can end it all love that ends in Red wine split over every hand Kunle Sobowale Page 1 April 25,

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Compare the content, style, and language of two pre-twentieth century sonnets

Claire Weller 11E 2nd December Mrs Taylor Centre no. 52433 Candidate no. 7144 Assignment: Compare the content, style, and language of two pre-twentieth century sonnets There are two types of sonnets, Petrarchan and Shakespearian. The Shakespearian sonnets are famous throughout the world today. These comprise of three quatrains and a concluding heroic couplet. The quatrains rhyme either ABAB CDCD EFEF, or ABBA CDDC EFFE; the couplet will be GG. An example of the first rhyme scheme is Charlotte Smith's, To the moon, circa 1784. This poem is about the way in which the poet, Charlotte Smith, portrays her thoughts and feelings of the moon and also to life. She says that the moon helps to ease all the worry and misery of the unhappy 'Forget, in thee, their cup of sorrow here'. Hope of a peaceful existence in death is also portrayed 'Released by death-to thy benignant sphere'. As you can see, the language seems very old fashioned to us nowadays, but wasn't when it was written. The sonnet is describing the thoughts and feelings that the poet has about the moon, rather than the actual object. Therefore, the poem is fiction not fact. Charlotte Smith tells how she enjoys the calmness of her own thoughts and imagination 'Alone and pensive, I delight to stray'. In the line 'And watch thy shadows trembling in the stream', we have to decide whether she

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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In conclusion from sonnet LXXXV we have learnt how Shakespeare has to battle with rival poets however his experience comes out on top and how it is useful to have knowledge and he uses that to his advantage and

Considering one or two sonnets in detail discuss Shakespeare's explanation of the experience of writing Shakespeare has written over a thousand sonnets and has grown in experience after every one. In many of his sonnets he describes how the voice of the verse can save you from the clutches of death and preserve your life forever. However as Shakespeare grows older and more popular his competition increases and thus puts more strain on his writing to come up with better sonnets. Therefore when he was writing about loves beauty he would sometimes get mind block and hence not create love metaphors as well as other writers. Sonnet LXXXV is a sonnet, which undermines itself simply by existing. The sonnet starts of by saying how he to behave in the same manner as previously and praising her. He then goes on to say how the poems in praise of the youth and put together with great learning and stylistic skill and flourishes. After which he goes on to say how commentaries are praising you preserve you richly in writing. By "reserving thy character with golden quill" means that he will forever keep her beauty and personality alive with poetic language and she will live on forever in a poem. Shakespeare is saying how he will appreciate her and can't articulate on other poems about love and is not sure how to express it. The following lines continue to show the seeds of doubt, for they

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Shakespearian Love Sonnets.

Pre-20th Century Poetry Shakespearian Love Sonnets Whilst reading the play, 'Romeo and Juliet', I encountered many beautiful images of love and many comparisons to objects to highlight a person's beauty. In the play, when Romeo first sees Juliet, he is overwhelmed by her utter beauty. He says: "O she doth teach the torches to burn bright! It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night As a rich jewel in an Ethiop's ear- Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear: So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows." The first line conveys the message that Juliet really stands out from the other people at the party and is so "bright" and beautiful that she teaches torches to burn bright. The second comparison is to a "rich jewel" in an Ethiop's ear. A contrast between light and dark is used here as the rich jewel is a bright shiny object used to represent Juliet, which would really stand out from the dark skin of an Ethiopian. The third comparison in the final line of what Romeo says compares Juliet to a "snowy white dove trooping with crows". This is an effective comparison as doves are white birds and would really stand out if they flew alongside black crows. Later in the play, Juliet describes her love to be "boundless as the sea" and also says: "This bud of love, by summer's ripening breath, May prove a beauteous flower when next we meet." The first image of her love tells

  • Word count: 2592
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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